Words. They can be powerful, passionate, and—when used correctly in marketing and sales communications and presentations—extremely profitable.

Have you ever wondered why some of the same "power words" keep showing up in advertising messages year after year?

"Act Now!"

"Limited Time Only!"

"Money Back Guarantee!"

"Time's Running Out!"

"Six Brand New Features!"

And so on...

The fact is, words are a powerful part of marketing and selling.

Selling Is a Process... and Words Are a Powerful Part of That Process

It doesn't matter whether it's taking place on TV or in person, selling is a process composed of several layers, each designed to increase the connection between you and the customer.

For instance, when I'm pitching something on radio or television, every time I do something effective, people in the audience get a little closer to the telephone. And after each effective step of the process, they get closer and closer to that phone until they pick it up and respond. And that's natural. It's all part of a process.

I wish I could tell you that there's one magic word that will make somebody buy something. There isn't. But there are certain words that will enhance the process.

Seven of them, to be exact. Here, we present five of those word magnets.

Marketing Magnets

George Carlin gained instant notoriety back in the 70s with his "Seven Words You Can't Say on Television" bit. But there are seven words you CAN say to create an indelible connection with a potential customer? I call them my "Seven Marketing Magnets" because, as I explained a few moments ago, every time you use one of them—for the right reasons, at the right time—you draw people a little closer to you, like a magnet.

The connection becomes stronger, and the temptation to buy from you greater. Which is not to say that more is more in this case. In other words, don't just arbitrarily string these words together, piling them on or (for heaven's sake) using them randomly—or even interchangeably.

Each word is calculated to highlight the benefits of the particular product, service, or idea you're presenting. That is their power: Each means something very specific to whoever hears them.

Remember, the ultimate goal is a response. Hopefully, the response of a sale, but short of that the response might be in the form of interest, curiosity, enthusiasm, a personal connection with you, a renewed interest in what you're presenting, etc.

That's why these words are so effective: They evoke strong responses in your listeners, each in its own way.

The First Marketing Magnet: 'New' or 'Exclusive'

The first marketing magnet is "new," or "exclusive." Those are great words; I get excited just typing them... they're filled with so much potential. Now, either word could describe any of the following:

A special ingredient you're using: "Try our new combination of lime and pomegranate seed."

A part of a service you're offering: "Enjoy our exclusive steam-cleaning solution..."

A special online offer: "Download an extra chapter of this NEW bestseller exclusively on Amazon.com..."

And so on...

That's a pretty impressive list, and you can of course personalize it for whatever "new" or "exclusive" features and benefits you're offering. But even powerful, profitable, magnetic words can become less effective when used nonstop. So don't just say, "New," "New," "Exclusive," "New," all the time. Spice your sales pitch up with the following other ways to say the same thing:

Innovative

The latest

State of the art

Revolutionary (use only when referring to a patented or patent-pending product)

High-tech

Designed for today's ________________

Adds a whole new dimension to _______________

Here's an exciting way to ____________________

And so on...

The Second Marketing Magnet: 'Fast'

The Third Marketing Magnet: 'Quick'

The Fourth Marketing Magnet: 'Easy'

Our second, third, and fourth marketing magnets are the words "fast," "quick," and "easy." I combine them because they really share the same spirit—of modern convenience and benefits that really appeal to the way we live our lives today.

The Internet and other high technology have spoiled us so that we can't wait for anything anymore. We want it all, and we want it now... We want it fast, quick, and easy.

Now, these words can be used individually, of course, but I tend to lump them together when I'm making a presentation because they work so well in combination.

So, in this case, fast, quick, and easy could refer to...

Results you want the customer to achieve: "Drying your hair has never been faster with our breakthrough technology!"

The application of something: "The fastest, quickest, easiest way to wash your car, spot-free!"

Pointing out a product feature: "With our age-defying product, looking younger has never been easier or quicker than this!"

Creating an added benefit: "With our product, you'll discover how easy it is to _______________."

After-purchase care: "Our platinum customer service is fast, quick, and easy, all day, every day."

And so on...

Naturally, even three marketing magnets like "fast," "quick," and "easy" can get overplayed, so here are some handy alternatives that are equally effective:

Step by step

As easy as 1, 2, 3

Immediate results

Ready to use

Wash and wear

Set it and forget it

And so on...

The Fifth Marketing Magnet: 'Guarantee'

Our fifth marketing magnet is one you hear quite often, particularly on late-night TV: "guarantee." As powerful as this word is, you have to be very, very careful when using it.

For instance, you just can't guarantee certain results, such as "With our foolproof system, you are guaranteed to make a million dollars, lose 50-pounds, look 12 years younger, etc."

However, there IS one thing we can all guarantee: satisfaction. And we should all guarantee satisfaction with a money back, 30-day satisfaction guarantee—often called the "promise to please" in our industry.

When you're talking about your product, service, or idea, I want you to imagine a brick wall between you and the other person. Every time you minimize a risk, you are essentially taking off a row of bricks and moving that other person closer and closer to the results you want.

Minimize another risk, and one more row of bricks comes down until pretty soon there's nothing left between you and the other person. And that's the moment you create a true "win/win" situation.

That satisfaction, 30-day, money-back guarantee language really helps secure a fast and tight bond between you and the other person because it minimizes so much risk.

Parting Words

When used effectively, these five words will move you closer to what you're after: a strong response from your listener. They will help tear down the brick wall that stands between you and them at the beginning of your interaction, all the while helping to create a stronger, lasting relationship that will ultimately lead to sales.